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A HEAP OF RUBBLE AND THE SEVEN WONDERS
A HEAP OF RUBBLE & the seven wonders
COCO ST. GEORGE
When we think of the word ‘museum’, what comes to mind is a place where objects are exhibited— which, in fact, is Webster’s definition: an enclosed structure usually holding works of art, such as paintings and sculptures, or historical artifacts, like Lincoln’s hat and Franklin’s kite. Of course, ‘museum’ also refers to the institution that manages such places.
But what happens when what you want to exhibit are buildings, monumental structures worth admiring because of the beauty of their forms, their historical significance, or their architectural value? Organizing such an exhibition would be impossible for obvious reasons, the main of which is their size and the fact that many buildings from the Ancient World are no longer with us; all we have of them are the descriptions that allow us to understand their magnificence and the importance they had for our ancestors.
That’s why a project like Museum Island is possible only in Second Life, where Carlolello Zapatero was able to create impressive reproductions of some of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, as well as other buildings, temples, and houses that, in one way or another, stood out.
If you are wondering how a house could enter the category of “an attraction worth visiting”, you should come and see the House of the Tragic Poet in Pompeii. This is a Roman house built in the second century BC. This house has the celebrated “Cave Canem” (i.e., “beware of the dog”) mosaic at the entrance. Though small, the house is richly decorated with frescoes depicting scenes from Greek mythology. We have no idea who lived here, and the name of “Tragic Poet” is as good as any; this wonderful house was also known as the “Iliadic House” because of the scenes from Homer’s epic poem found there. Those panels, though, are no longer there; they were transferred to the National Archaeological Museum in Naples, Italy.
Now, we all know mausoleums are large, impressive buildings that contain a tomb, especially the tomb of a great leader or hero. This word is derived from ‘Mausolus’, who ruled the ancient region of Caria until his death c. 353 BC; His widow (who happened to be his sister) commissioned the building of a monumental tomb in Halicarnassus, the capital city of his kingdom. Nowadays, this city is known as Bodrum, located in modern Turkey. The Mausoleum of Halicarnassus was one of the Seven Wonders, and what remains of it can be found in the British Museum. Or, you can choose to admire this architectonical jewel in tact on Museum Island instead.
Another monumental structure you can appreciate on Museum Island is the temple of Abu Simbel, located in Real Life near Aswan, Egypt. This place has an interesting story that goes back to 13th century BC, when the original twin temples were carved on the mountainside, and spans all the way to the sixties in the 20th century, when they had to be relocated. This move was required by the construction of a dam in the Nile River that created an artificial lake, in which the temples would have been submerged. This feat of engineering was conducted as part of a UNESCO campaign. The temples were built as a monument for king Ramesses II. His wife, Nefertari, and their children
also appear in the carvings on a much smaller scale, leaving all the spotlight to the powerful king. Fortunately, on Museum Island you can also visit Nefertari’s tomb and admire the intricate decoration on the walls. Don’t forget to bring your Rosetta Stone if you want to read the inscriptions, as well.
It was dawn in the ravines of Delphi when Apollo killed the dragon Python who guarded the oracle, and so there, on the top of Mount Parnassus, the Temple of Apollo was erected. The high priestess, known as Pythia (origin of ‘pythoness’) worked inside the temple where, under the influence of the vapors and fumes emanating from a natural chasm beneath the temple, she contacted Apollo to get the answers to visitors’ inquiries. You may not believe this is possible, but who knows? If you make the right offering for the gods, you may find the answer to the problem that has been pestering you lately.
Before the Romans, there were the Etruscans, and one of the Etruscan goddesses was Menerva, goddess of war, art, wisdom, and medicine. She contributed much of her character to the Roman Minerva. Being a powerful deity, it was only natural that a temple was dedicated to her, and that’s how the Temple of Portonoaccio, in Veio, Rome, came into being. In fact, it was the first temple erected in Etruria, c. 510 BC, and one of the most venerated sanctuaries in the region. The unforgiving march of time, alas, took the best of it; now, all that is left is a heap of rubble and lots of restoration plans, each more impossible to implement than the last. The unforgiving march of time… it passes us by, slowly eroding the legacies of our ancestors. To fully appreciate the splendor of these builds, you are advised to take the virtual tour of Museum Island and enjoy the wonders it has to offer.
